Josh Smith

When I got my Pflueger, tripping the bail with the crank was a bit tough. It may still be; I do not know. I am not that good with taking spinning reels apart. (Casting, yes, but I have much more practice.) I therefore just started closing the bail by hand. Now it is second nature. Josh

Bronson baitcaster on a vintage Cherrywood rod. Josh

Hello, It's the nature of disease germs to evolve. If the germ is confined to a few hosts, it cannot afford to kill them because it would threaten the survival of the germ. However, when it because wider-spread (more hosts), the germ can become lethal without endangering the strain. Ancestral HIV, for example, was not as readily lethal as later (HIV-2 and other) strains. The Ebola virus can and will mutate to be more virulent if we allow it to spread to a wider population. That said, I "ain't skeered." Josh

It's dropping. I can't give a precise number because I've not been out there to measure it. The rain has been cold and this is part of the concern. In my experience only, cold rain drives fish deeper. This is a watershed lake. One nice thing is that after it stops raining, regardless of the barometric pressure or cold front that just passed (usually!), the bass move up to see what's being brought to them from various normally-dry ditches and it makes them easy to target. As well, there's a simple overflow for the earthen dam. When the water level rises, it starts draining and creates a current through the whole lake's surface. I can use this current to my advantage. It just seems that they wait until after it rains to do this. I'd like to get out there and find out if turnover has happened, yet. We still have pretty sunny days and it's not overly cool at night; I'd say it's seasonally warm so probably not, but I'm not going to guarantee that. From my past year's study of this lake, the bass seem to pattern much differently than most other bass most other places. It's interesting as heck and helps me catch them. Regards, Josh

I go during the week so there is no one else fishing. I've never caught anything when it rains but a cold. What's the first lure I should try? In the past I've tried critter baits without any luck. Josh

... in the past three weeks or a month I thought I'd get some time to go fishing, it friggin' rains!!! Hard, and cold. I'm kept pretty busy but for the sake of my sanity, I try to go at least once per week. This means working a weekend day and going during the week sometime, but I have to schedule this with myself in advance. It always rains that day. Always. /rant

I think it does. At least, it does for me. I think we'll have to agree to disagree, though. Ever notice how two people can look at the very same thing and draw vastly different conclusions? That's what we're doing. I'm looking at it from an engineering (I grew up with an engineering father) and gunsmith's point of view, and you're looking at it from the point of view of your profession. You're looking at reaction times in terms of reels and drumsticks, and I'm looking at reaction times in terms of reels and escrima sticks. Regards, Josh

Francho, I don't know what rollout is. Larger tires? Never heard it called that, but OK. Cool. Francho, it's all good. I don't expect it to work for everyone. Small changes in mechanics can feel like big, subjectively, like a 2.2" reel handle vs a 3" reel handle. One feels better than the other. Like I said, I only wanted to share what I found works for me, an I'm not forcing it on anyone. The old 5500 reels did have much smaller handles than modern reels and could therefore be spun faster (smaller distance covered by the reel handle for inches of line retrieved.) Therefore, handle length is not irrelevant. However, I do think we agree on all other points. Josh

OK. If I turn the crank X number of inches, then I retrieve Y amount of line. Where does this help? A reel with gearing of 6.3:1 can have the same rate of retrieve as a 7.0:1 reel. One must take the reel as a whole and not just look at the gearing. Because the purpose of the crank handle is to retrieve line, it seems more logical that the ratio should be distance of reel handle travel to inches of line retrieved instead of the ratio of the internal gears. Where this helps me, and I'm only sharing what helps me, is that I can look at a new reel and say, "A 4.7:1 5500 has a retrieve ratio of 2" of line for every inch of travel of a 3.5" handle. Therefore, this new reel I'm looking at, which also has a 3.5" handle, will feel just a bit faster at 2.5" of retrieve for every inch the handle turns." Practical Application: I bought a Black Max with a 6.3:1 gear ratio assuming it would be faster than the old 5000 and 5500 reels I was playing with. It was not. In fact, it retrieved about the same, maybe slightly faster. I also have a few Quantum baitcasting reels with something like 5.2:1 gears. They are noticeably slower than the 4.7:1 gears in the 5500 reels. I sat down, did the math, and had a "duh" moment. Francho, I'm not suggesting that this is for everyone. It's a system I've moved to and it works for me. It gives me the precision I demand. Comparison between two similar reels with similar spool diameters is done just fine with the internal gear ratio. However, if I want to know how fast a low-profile reel will retrieve compared one of the round reels I'm used to, well, I can't use the gear ratio and must resort to overall ratio due to differences in handle and spool sizes. I'm not forcing this view on anyone. I just thought I might share it. Regards, Josh

Actually, I have a use for a rod like that. I wonder what they sell for themselves? Josh

But dude, you catch bigger bass than I do.

5500. No bloody A, B, C, or D. Josh

I do not like the Black Max all that much. It just isn't my style. That said, it is a decent reel and retails by itself at around $50. Josh

That is the new post, right above yours. I posted instead of previewed is all. Josh

I am not saying this. Not at all. I would never say anything of the sort. 85mm is about 3.35" 94mm is about 3.70" Gear ratio and line retrieve in inches per turn are not easily changed, and therefore considered constants. With the 3.35" diameter handle, the distance of the reel handle knob moved in one full rotation is π • 3.35, or about 10.5" per 31.6" of line retrieved. With the 3.70" Hawgtech 3.70" handle, the distance the reel handle knob moves in one full rotation is π • 3.70, or about 11.6" . Therefore, the stock handle moves a circumference of 10.5" for every 31.6" of line retrieved. Agreed? The Hawgtech handle handle moves a circumference of 11.6" for every 31.6" of line retrieved. Agreed? Reducing: 10.5 / 10.5 : 31.6 / 10.5 = 1 : 3.01 (Do we agree here?) and 11.6 / 11.6 : 31.6 / 11.6 = 1 : 2.72 (Do we agree here?) With the stock handle, for every inch of handle movement, you retrieve 3.01" of line. With the Hawgtech handle, for every inch of handle movement, you retrieve 2.72" of line. Do you agree with the above? Regards, Josh Edit: Done editing.

Hello, You're misinterpreting what I'm saying. What is the distance a reel knob travels in one full turn of the reel handle? Josh

The debate is that the ratio of the length of the circle described by the handle in one full rotation to the inches per turn of line retrieve is a much more meaningful representation of reel speed than is gear ratio. Inches per turn can only be changed by changing gears or the spool diameter. That's not the debate. I contend that because, 6.3:1 of manufacturer A doesn't necessarily equal the 6.3:1 of manufacturer B, that a much more meaningful ratio would be the length of the circle described by the reel handle to the inches-per-turn of line retrieve. That, and Pluto might be a planet again. (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=pluto+is+a+planet+again) Josh

I heard they just reclassified it as such in a vote of scientists. I've not followed upon this. It was on the radio news a few weeks ago.

The math is fine. Overall gear ratio does change in a car when you change tire size. You cover more road for the same engine RPM with larger tires. As well, the speedometer will be off something like 5mph per inch if I recall. It's been a while since I built a vehicle. Those were the teenage years. Sure was fun, though! Hotrodding reels and guns is much easier on the back. Josh

TiNuts and Timsford described this far better than I can. It's like two bicycles with fixed sprockets, both with 6:1 gearing, say. The pedals are the same distance apart, too. One bicycle has 20" tires. The other bicycle has 26" tires. The 26" tired bike will go faster because its overall ratio is greater. Josh

Bigger circle = longer distance traveled. Regards, Josh

I don't care how big the bass's mouth is. Don't do that. Josh

I have a Lew's Speed Stick. It's a nice rod. Tournament grade, fiberglass, made in Japan. It's impressive and tough but not overly sensitive. It loads easily, though. Probably not what you're asking, though. Josh

Buying reel < buying rod < building reel!

Yep, I do -- and the above is why I do instead of relying on gear ratios. I think I might have gotten carried away in the explanation, though. My wife says I'm a nerd from a family of nerds. Josh